This is how we learned PR.

Learning by doing: A story from one subject.

Most recently, the subject classEvent organizationOur project concluded with real events organized by ourselves. It was an open-ended prompt, allowing all imagination and creativity to flourish.Organize an event that truly serves a specific need.The idea was suggested by the teacher, Master Trinh Le Anh – a famous MC of VTV. Everyone was excited, formed groups, brainstormed ideas, and quickly put them into action.

Each group had its own unique style and truly different themes, ranging from entertaining music programs to academic dialogue sessions. The groups went through all the stages of event organization, from brainstorming and planning to assigning tasks and implementing the event. Each stage had its share of hilarious and frustrating moments.

It's safe to say that the brainstorming phase was the most chaotic. There was only one team leader, but 29 team members had dozens of ideas pouring in, making it incredibly difficult to unify them. We voted on the ideas like a beauty pageant. Each round narrowed things down a bit, and by the time we reached the top 3, things started to get clearer, and finally, one idea was crowned the winner – one that possessed both talent (message) and beauty (concept).

After the beauty queen was crowned, the organizers began specific activities for her. First, they had to choose a venue. Some teams worked very hard to find a suitable location. Large venues had poor sound quality, while smaller ones had better sound. Places with both large spaces and good sound systems demanded high fees. Finally, the beauty queen was chosen for her debut at a venue that was just right, with decent sound and lighting in a cozy space large enough for a certain number of guests.

Next, the logistical preparations and negotiations were quite fascinating. The speakers were extremely busy, so contacting and negotiating wasn't always smooth sailing. Some speakers only returned from abroad on the day of the event, others had surgery three days before, or some didn't accept the ticket prices. All our efforts were put into persuading them, and in the end, they agreed and showed up right on time as we had arranged.

Other preparations kept our Facebook, Gmail, and phones buzzing. "Hey, where can I print this cheaply and nicely?", "How do I distribute the tickets?", "What time is it and you haven't posted yet?", "Compile the customer count for me right now!"... such messages ran across computer and phone screens, creating a sense of urgency and relentless work ethic that excited us. In addition, this time, everyone got to showcase their writing skills. The event promotional posts were very well-crafted. After a lengthy discussion about music, a story about "How I got into guitar," or "My path to a career in event management," everyone realized at the end, "Ah, they're selling something!" These posts resonated with readers, and a single like resulted in a ticket being sold.

After all the preparation, the day of the event arrived. Chaos was inevitable. For any group event with children, the kids would run around everywhere, their curiosity overwhelming the organizers as they tried to manage everything. And what else? Lack of water, chairs, rain, dead microphone batteries, overloaded Wi-Fi, exceeding the allotted time were common occurrences, along with countless other unexpected problems.

And finally, through this event, we leveraged the full power of our relationships in securing funding. Sponsors provided scholarships worth millions, as well as cash grants, professional support, and helped us get beautiful photos and a well-decorated venue.

This was truly a valuable experience. We learned so much. Skills in organizing and managing work, planning, team management, writing, negotiation, and persuasion were all honed to varying degrees. This assignment was even more meaningful because every mistake was acknowledged as a lesson, and any losses (if any) were not compensated. The instructors guided us to improve, turning mistakes into learning experiences – something rarely found elsewhere. It was a valuable lesson that external courses might not have been able to provide.

Gain professional experience while still in university.

That's how we've been learning lately: theory combined with practice, learning from the classroom to real-world situations. This applies not only to event management but also to other subjects. Our assignments involved days spent traveling together with cameras in hand, meeting and interviewing people – sometimes high-ranking figures like newspaper editors-in-chief, other times just unfortunate individuals under bridges – to create emotionally charged reports. With its modern equipment, the school's studio is a favorite place for many students. It's where new ideas are born; it's a laboratory for creating media products.

During those years of study, our teachers were always there for us. Besides imparting specialized knowledge and inspiring new ideas, they always strived to connect us with external partners to support us on our journeys. Visiting newsrooms, gathering real-world information, running media campaigns, assisting with events, attending specialized lectures – all provided invaluable experiences and lessons. It transformed those dry theoretical concepts into something more engaging and fresh. The assignments we're doing, though simple, are truly useful; they serve as concrete examples of the theories we've learned.

Building a solid foundation of knowledge and honing practical skills is what our teachers always strive for. They constantly add new information and refine existing concepts, aiming to help us stay up-to-date with the latest trends and connect more closely with reality. Teaching knowledge, providing regular practice exercises, and learning together outside the classroom are what we both strive for every day. Our teachers have a simple wish: that our graduates can find and live jobs they love.

In addition to those classes, we also have many other extracurricular activities. Major events include the Journalism Singing Contest, the Four-Team Football Cup, the "Party Fun" Festival at Lien Chuong, and many other side activities.

Initial achievements

Studying in a dynamic environment that combines work and study, along with numerous cultural and artistic activities, we have initially achieved our small successes. We feel confident introducing ourselves to others, especially to potential employers. Among us, many have interned at dream places such as Star Galaxy – co-organizer of Ionah Show, CEO Academy, World Vision Company, Vietpictures, Thanhs Brand, Sunshine Holding, Hoa Hoc Tro, etc. At these places, we were trusted and given relatively important tasks such as writing television scripts, participating in brainstorming for new programs, writing and publishing news articles… The feeling of transitioning between studying and internships was somewhat unfamiliar, strange, and a little scary, but with the fire of passion, the knowledge and experience that our teachers have imparted, we are always ready for new races with more challenges, and finally, "Welcome to our home!"